The strategies -- education and alternative sentencing programs -- were suggested by county officials and consultants during and after the presentation.

District Attorney Teresa Clingman said there is a way for the DA's office, district courts and grand juries to decrease their total percentage of dismissed cases from 25 percent -- or 480 cases -- to 10.

"(The percentage) is going to be lowered by improving the quality of the law enforcement -- through training and education -- that we have here in Midland," she said Friday, the day after the firm presented its report.

Clingman said law enforcement agencies should be held to a higher standard, which means more evidence should be provided.

"That way, we can properly evaluate a case and make a decision as to whether this case ought to be filed and go forward or not," Clingman said.

About 90 percent of cases received by the DA's office are from the Midland Police Department, according to Clingman.

Police Chief Price Robinson said time constraints are the reason why there could be a lack of evidence.

"In some instances, not all the evidence can be submitted under the timeline given," Robinson said. "Evidence such as in-car video, photographs or witness statements may not be available at the timem, and then the case is dismissed. But when the evidence is submitted, then the case is re-filed."

The second solution, alternative sentencing programs, is a solution for people who are arrested for "minor, low-level, non-violent, non-sexual-related, non-children-related" crimes, said Dick Kirkland, law enforcement manager for Carl R. Griffith & Associates.

"These are people, unfortunately in life, that either made a mistake or they'll make one or two more and (they'll never be arrested) again," Kirkland said.

A community work program, house arrest and ticketed fines are examples of alternatives that help make the jails less crowded, according to Clingman and Kirkland.

Clingman said public intoxication is one instance where there is a conflict between making an arrest and knowing that the person will sober up given an amount of time.

"When they do (sober up), do you really want them sitting in county jail for 10 days?" Clingman said. "That type of offense is punishable by a fine."

She said putting public intoxication offenders in jail will have more consequences, such as court costs, jail costs, possible unemployment for the offender and possible placement of the offender's children into Child Protective Services.

"Make the punishment fit the crime," Clingman said. "And at the same time, don't make the cost of it so onerous for the citizens that it gets into diminishing returns."

Robinson said it is at the discretion of the officer whether to arrest an offender. He said some instances, such as class C family violence, require an arrest.

"The officer looks at the totality of the circumstances," Robinson said. "Family violence class C offenders are arrested to ensure the safety of the victim or victims."

He said that citing class C offenders can't be applied "across the board."